Box toe conditioning machine



Jan. 31, 1933. A SCHQENKY 1,895,524

BOX TOE CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 31, 1933. A. R. SCHOENKY BQX TOE CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed'March 19, 1928 3 Sheets-=Sheet 2 w. s& g m 3% 147! :IQXw

Jan. 31, 1933. A, SCHQENKY 1,895,524

BOX TOE CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed March 19. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 736 /Nl/EN R- Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUGUST R. SCHOENKY, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW

JERSEY JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW BOX TOE CONDITIONING MACHINE Application filed March 19, 1928. Serial No. 262,856.

This invention relates to a machine for conditioning or tempering articles, and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for conditioning stiffening members of shoes such as box toe blanks, counters, and the like.

Blanks of the so-called self hardening type commonly consist of a fabric base impregnated with a stiffening substance, such for example, as celluloid, which may be rendered temporarily limp and pliable by treatment with a softening liquid such, for example, as acetone. The blank, thus rendered temporarily limp and pliable, is assembled, with an upper and an insole upon a last and 1s then subjected first to the operation of a pullingover machine and then to that of a lasting machine, which operations stretch and pull the upper about the last and secure it in position, the box toe blank being thus conformed to the toe portion of the last. After the softening liquid has evaporated, the box toe becomes stiff and resilient.

Hitherto the blanks have commonly been conditioned by dipping them manually into the softening liquid and then allowing them to drain and sometimes to mull in the vapor of the liquid. This procedure, however, has certain disadvantages. The blanks of different classes-heavy and light, for instance differ considerably in the rapidity with which they become soft when immersed, so that some blanks require a longer immersion than others. The operator thus cannot dip all classes of blanks for the same period of time since, were such a procedure adopted, some blanks would become too soft or would lose some of their stiffening substance by reason of its going into solution, while other blanks would not be soft enough. The operator is hence compelled to exercise judgment with respect to different classes of blanks and to bestow considerable care upon dipping the blanks, all of which involves the expenditure of time and labor. Moreover, the results obtained are liable not to be uniform, so that some of the treated blanks may not be in exactly the desired condition.

According to one feature of the invention there are provided means for increasing the porosity of a work piece, and means for subjecting the workpiece, at a locality of the Work piece which is being acted upon by the porosity-increasing means, to the influence of a conditioning medium. A receptacle ma also be provided for the conditioning medium; and in the illustrated machine, the porosity-increasing means serves also to convey the work piece through the conditioning medium in such a receptacle. In the illustrated machine the porosity-increasing means consists of a driven roll having pointed proections upon its periphery; and the work piece is impaled upon these projections to render 1t more porous. While thus impaled, the work piece or blank is carried by the roll first into and then out of a softening or conditioning liquid. Provision is made, in the illustrated machine, for wiping any surplus conditioning liquid from the blank and for delivering the blank in a position conveniently accessible to the operator. With the abovedescribed construction, theconditioning of the blanks takes place rapidly and with substantially uniform results irrespective, within limits, of the original porosity of the blanks, since the effect of the action of the impaling projections is to permit the conditioning fluid to permeate all of the blanks in substantially the same short interval durin which the blanks are subjected to the action of the conditioning fluid.

Hitherto, there has been a considerable fire hazard connected with the conditioning of shoe stifl eners. The conditioning liquid is commonly volatile and inflammable, and a considerable amount of it is placed in a receptacle and replenished frointimeto time. In the commonly employed manual'dip process, the operator is quite liable to slop the liquid about and to leave the receptacle for the volatile liquid uncovered.

In accordance with another feature of the invention there is provided a container or pan of comparatively small capacity in which the immersion of the blank takes place, a reservoir of larger capacity connected by a passage with the pan, and means interposed between the dipping pan and the reservoir for preventing the passage of a flame. In the illustrated machine the pan and the reservoir are separated by a fire wall and are connected through the wall by a assage for liquid, the construction being such that the reservoir is entirely closed except for its connection to the dipping pan; and the level of the liquid in the an is maintained by barometric pressure.

The invention further consists in various features of construction and combinations and-arrangements of parts herein shown and claimed, the advantages of which will be ap parent to those skilled in the art from t e following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section in elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail showing the driving mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a detail showing an alternative arrangement of the driving mechanism.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the machine a brie. description of its general mode of operation will be given. Referring more particularly to Fi 2, the machine comprises a pricking ro l 10 and a resser roll 64 to which a blank B is presented y the operator. The blank is impaled upon the pricking roll and carried by said roll rst into a softening liquid in a receptacle 18 and then out of said liquid. As the blank moves upwardly, after having been thus immersed, it is stripped from the pricking roll by stripping comb fingers 126 and delivered upon the upper run of a conveyor 144, said conveyor moving the blank beneath a wiper in the form of a brush 158 and finally delivering it upon a skeleton table formed by the horizontal upper surfaces of spaced stripper members 168. The operator may then pick up the conditioned blank and assemble it in the upper of a shoe. As will be explained later, the machine may be fitted to operate in two different ways. In both cases the pricking roll is driven continuously while the presser roll 64 is idly mounted'so as to be rotated only when a blank is passing between the rolls. In one case the belt conveyor 144 also is driven continuously, so that a blank presented to the rolls is immersed in the liquid and delivered upon the tops of the stripper members 168 in the space of a few seconds, the blank being then immediately assembled in a shoe upper. In the other case the conveyor is not driven directly,- but is geared to the roll 64 so that, whenever a blank passes between the rolls, the conveyor is moved a distance dependent upon the length of the blank. When the machine is fitted in this manner and is in operation, there are always a plurality of blanks resting upon the conveyor and each blank remains upon the conveyor for some time before it is delivered to the operator. Inasmuch, however, as the chamber in which the conve or is mounted is a substantially closed one an contains vapor of the conditioning liquid, the box toes remain soft and pliable. The showing in Fig. 2 is intended to illustrate, not a plurality of blanks, but successive positions of the same blank as it passes through the machine.

Secured upon a base plate 2 is a housing consisting in part of a pair of side walls 4 connected by a rear wall 5 and of a pair of plates 6 which constitute the side walls of a narrower and forwardly extending portion of the housing. Extending across the main portion of the housing, and journaled in bearings formed in the side walls 4, is a shaft 8 carrying a pricker roll or carrier 10 having pointed projections formed upon its periphery. The roll 10 is built up longitudinally of laminated units, each consisting of a small group of circular saw blades and spacing members of relatively less diameter placed therebetween to form grooves, the blades and the spacing members being clamped tightly together by means of bolts 12, the bolt heads of each unit extending without clearance into openings formed in the adjacent unit to prevent torsional slip between any two units. The saw teeth, which constitute the pointed projections, are pointed in the direction of rotation, that is, counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 2. Openings 14, enlarged if necessary, are provided in each unit to accommodate the nuts of the bolts 12 of the adjacent unit, as shown in Fig. 2. The entire assembly of units, con- 1 stituting the roll 10, is clamped between a thrust collar integral with the shaft 8 and a nut 16 threaded upon the shaft 8. This construction has been found preferable to one in which all of the saw blades and spacing members are clamped together in a single unit, for in the latter case it is more difficult to obtain clamping pressure suflicient to bind the blades and the spacing members tightly together along the shaft 8. The spacing members also are saw blades with their teeth pointed in the direction of rotation for a purpose presently to be described.

A receptacle or vessel 18 for the softening liquid rests upon two rods 20 extending across and supported by the wall members 4. Formed integrally with the vessel 18 and extending across the central portion thereof is a cover 22 which extends downwardly to form a partition 24 separating the vessel 18 into forward and rear com artments 17 and 19 respectively. The partltion 24 does not extend all the way to the bottom of the vessel 18, but it extends below the surface of the liquid therein so that a liquid seal is always maintained between the compartments 17 and 19, there being a passage beneath the partition 24 whereby communication is afforded between the two compartments. In cases where the liquid employed might form an inflammable vapor, the partition 24 will prevent a flash from passing from one compartment to' the other, if accidental ignition should occur. Formed in the partition 24 is a transverse downwardly extending groove 26 to accommodate a rod 28, the latter having an eccentric 30 formed uponeither end thereof, the eccentrics 30 being journaled in the respective side walls 4. One of the eccentrics 30 has a knurled head 31 (Fig. 1) extending outwardly from the wall of the member 4, whereby the operator, by turning the eccentrics 30, may adjust the position of the vessel 18 upon the rods 20 forwardly or rearwardly for a purpose presently to be described. Extending down into the rear compartment 19 of the vessel 18 is a feed nozzle 32 of a reservoir 33 supported by the 'walls 4, the liquid in the reservoir 33 feeding out through the openings of the nozzle 32 into the vessel 18 to maintain automatically a constant level therein determined by the height of the openings of the nozzle 32 above the floor of the vessel 18, this arrangement being known as a barometric feed device. The height of the liquid is so arranged and the vessel 18 is so positioned with relation to the roll 10 that the lower portion of the periphery of the latter will dip beneath the surface of the liquid in the forward compartment 17 of the vessel 18, and the compartment 17 is therefore termed, and will hereafter he referred to, as a dipping pan. The dipping pan .17 and the compartment 19 are only large enough to carry out their respective purposes above described. They are not depended upon to store the liquid, and consequentl have relatively small capacities as compared with the reservoir 33. The surface of the exposed liquid is thus reduced to a minimum. 7

A plate 34 secured to the side walls 4 of the housing member by screws 36 extends completely across the main portion of the housing from the top thereof down to the level of the upper surface of the cover 22 of the vessel 18. A plate 38 secured to the side walls 4 of the housing member by screws 40 extends completely across the main portion of the housing from the bottom thereof up to the lower edge of the plate 34, the plate 38 being notched to accommodate the vessel 18. The two plates 34 and 38 together completely divide the space within the main portion of the housing and outside of the vessel 18 into separate compartments, the reservoir 33 being positioned to the rear of these plates and the roll 10 and its associated mechanism being positioned forward of them, rendering it impossible for a vapor flash to travel from either compartment to the other outside the vessel 18 in case of accidental ignition. These plates taken with the cover 22 and the partition 24 constitute a fire wall which, as shown in Fig. 2, is spaced from the reservoir 33 to avoid any direct transfer of heat to the reservoir in case the li uid or vapor in the compartment 17 should ecome lgnited.

Supported upon the upper edges of the Walls 4 and extending across the machine is a frame 42 having a top wall 44. (Fi 2) in which are formed a pair of holes 46 Fig. 1) adapted to receive upstanding dowel pins for positioning the frame 42. The walls 4 on either side of the machine have inturned flanges 48 which are beneath the forward edge of the top wall 44 to support the latter and carry dowel pins which enter the holes 46. The flanges 48 extend only a short distance inwardly, leaving a wide gap between them, and their downward extension is determined by the roll 10 for which sufiicient clearance must be provided. The top wall 44 adjacent its rear edge rests upon the upper edge of the partition 36, and adjacent to its lateral edges it rests upon the upper edges wardly sloping portion 50 which extends into I the space between the two inturned flanges 48 and which terminates in a downwardlv extending wall 52. On either side of the sloping wall 50 and its continuation 52, and integral therewith are vertical flanges 54 which abut the adjacent flanges 48 of the respectlve walls 4. Integral with the frame 42 and depending from the top wall 44 thereof, and disposed adjacent to and within the respective side .walls 4 are hangers which support a stationary shaft 56, the latter extending crosswise of the machine.

A roll carrier frame 58, in the form of an elongated yoke, has end portions which are pivotally mounted on the shaft 56, and which extend forwardly and upwardly therefrom, being connected by a bar 60. Journalled in the end portions of the frame 58 between the shaft 56 and the bar 60 is a shaft 62, upon which is mounted a wooden roll 64. one function of which is to press the blanks against the pricking roll 10, the surface of the roll 64 bemg covered with sandpaper. A compression spring 66, interposed between a thrust collar 68 and an abutment formed on the bar 60, urges the frame 58 and the roll 64 toward the pricking roll 10. The stressv of the springv 66 is adjusted, to tension the roll 64, by means of a screw 70 threaded in the rearwardly and downwardly sloping face i of the top wall 44 and carrying the thrust collar 68. The forwardly and downwardly sloping wall 50 has a boss 72 extending both clearance between the rolls 64 and 10. A greater clearance may be provided by means of an adjusting screw 76 threaded 1n the boss 72 and having a lock nut 78, the inner end of the screw 76 engaging the lug 74 to efiect the desired clearance.

In order to ensure that the blanks shall be firmly impaled upon the pricking roll in every case, there is provided an auxiliary presser roll 90. A carrier frame 80 for the roll 90 consists of a pair of forwardly and downwardly extending arms 82 pivotally mounted upon the shaft 56 and a pair of upwardly extending arms 84 integral with the arms 82 and connected to each other by a bar 86, preferably integral with the arms 84. J ournalled in the respective arms 82 is a shaft 88 carrying a wooden roll 90, smaller in diameter than the roll 64, and covered with sandpaper. Interposed between an abutment 92 formed upon the upper portion of each of arms 84 and thrust collars 94 carried respectively upon the inner ends of a pair of adj usting screws 96, which are threaded through bosses having forwardly and downwardly inclined faces on the top wall 44, is a compression spring 98 for urging the frame 80 and the roll 90 toward the roll 10. A boss 100 formed on the partition 34 engages a boss 102 formed on the bar 86 to determine the minimum clearance between the rolls 90 and 10. A greater clearance may be provided by means of a hook 104 engaging a pin 106 carried in a pair of spaced ears 108 extending upwardly and forwardly from the bar 86. The shank of the hook 104 passes out through the forwardly and downwardly sloping wall 50, its outer end being threaded to receive an adjusting nut 110 which abuts a boss on the above-mentioned wall 50 to determine a roll clearance greater than the minimum. guide plate 112 is mounted ad acent the pricking roll 10 to bridge substantially the space between the rolls 64 and 90 and thereby uide the advancing end of the work if the atter is not already impaled upon the roll 10, between the rolls 90 and 10. The guide plate 112 is carried by the end portions of the frame 58, being secured thereto at its ends by screws 114.

In order to cover the upper portion of the ricking roll 10 as well as to provide means or facilitating the presentation of blanks to the machine, a frame 116 extends across the machine and partly over the pricking roll 10, being mounted upon a pair of supporting cross bars 118 which are supported by the side walls 4. The frame 116 has a wall 120 which slopes downwardly and rearwardly, and a wall 122 which slopes downwardly and forwardly, these two walls serving as a guard for the pricker roll 10 and co-operating with the walls 4 48, 34 and 38 to enclose the space within the housing. The wall 120 is directed tangentially with respect to the pricker roll 10 in the direction of feed thereof and in addition to its other functions above described, the wall 120 serves as a chute for feeding the blanks to the pricker roll 10.

After a blank has been carried b the pricking roll through the conditioning liquid, 1t is removed from the roll and directed upon the conveyor 144 by the fingers 126 of a stripper comb which project into the grooves between the rows of teeth on the prickin roll. Mounted in the forward portion of the rame 116 and extending lengthwise thereof, that is, crosswise of the machine, are two sup orting rods 124, upon which are mounte the fingers 126 of the stripper comb. The fingers 126 extend into-the grooves of the pricker roll 10, being substantially tangential to the bottom of the grooves and pointed against the direction of feed, suflicient clearance being provided in case the spacing members of the roll 10 are saw blades. A finger 126is provided for each groove of the roll 10, the portion of the finger which enters the groove being relatively thin, and the portion which is secured upon the rods 124 being relatively thick to effect proper spacing of the fingers and to align them with the grooves in the roll 10.

It is desirable that the surplus liquid which adheres to both sides of an immersed blank be wiped off. This is accomplished in the illustrated machine by a wiper plate 130 and by the brush 158 which has been previously mentioned. The wiper plate is mounted as follows Within the dipping an 17 and adjacent the forward end thereo is secured a bearing block 128. Pivotally mounted upon the block 128 is a forwardly and upwardly extendin plate 130 which extends across the pan 17.

A spring 132 coiled about the pivot rod of the plate 130 has its ends interposedbetween the plate 130 and the forward wall of the pan 17, thus serving to urge the free edge of the plate 130 toward the roll 10. The plate 130 extends in the direction of feed of the roll 10, and serves to wipe off any free liquid which may adhere to the outer surface of blanks impaled upon the roll 10. The tension of the spring 132 is adjusted by shifting the vessel 18 forwardly or rearwardly, by turning the eccentrics 30 as above described. The knurled head 31 by which the eccentrics 30 are turned is held against accidental movement by a spring latch'of usual construction. The forward wall 134 of the pan 17 extends upwardly and forwardly, for a purpose later to be described. 7

J ournalled in the rearward portions of the walls 6 and extending thereacross is a shaft 136 carrying a roll 138. Journalled in the forward portion of the walls 6 and extending thereacrozs is a shaft 140 carrying a roll 142. The conveyor belt 144, preferably of rubberized fabric, runs over the rolls 138 and 142,

the above-mentioned wires are formed with their ends inclined toward the direction of travel of the belt 144. The rolls 138 and 142 are substantially on the same level, and the run of the belt 144 is therefore substantially horizontal, the level of the tops of the wires of the upper surface of the belt 144 being at or slightly below the ends of the comb fingers 126, so that when a blank is stripped from the roll 10 it will fall upon the surface defined by the tops of said wlres. The forward inclination of the wall 134 permits the roll 138 b to be positioned relatively close to the pricking roll 10, thereby assuring that the belt 144 will properly receive the blanks as they are stripped from the roll 10.

The brush 158, which as has been explained serves to wipe the surplus liquid from the side of each blank opposite to that from which surplus liquid was wiped by the plate 130, is mounted above the upper run of the conveyor belt in the following manner Secured upon each of the walls 6 is a horizontal guideway 146 for a slide 148, which extends across the machine. A frame 150 is pivotally mounted for up and down movement upon a pin 152 carried in the slide 148 and extending transversely of the machine. A spring 154 coiled about the pin 152 and havlng a free end bearing down upon the frame 150 urges the latter toward its lower- A most position. An adjusting screw 156, threaded in a cross member of the frame 150 and with its end bearing upon a cross member of the slide 148 determines the lowermost position to which the frame 150 is urged by the spring 154. The brush 158 extends across the frame 150. its ends being received in notches in the free end of the frame 150. A plate 160, loosely pivoted to the frame 150 adj acent each end of the brush 158, may be swung over the upper surface of the latter to secure it in the notches. The bristles 162 of the brush 158 extend downwardly and are inclined in the direction of travel of the upper run of the belt 144. Extending across the machine beneath the brush 158 and secured at each end to one of the side wall members 6 is a plate 164 for supporting the upper run of the belt 144. The brush 158 may be adjusted forwardly or rearwardly for blanks of different length by moving the slide 148 in the guideways 146. It is desirable to adjust the brush 158 to a forward position for long blanks, to avoid any possibility of cruinpling them as they are delivered to the belt 144. The slide 148 is clamped in adjusted position in its guideways 146 by a set screw (not shown) threaded through one of the side walls 6 and passing through the adjacent guideway 146,

iltzsend bearing against the side of the slide A vertical wall 166 extends across the front of the machine, being secured at each end in one of the side walls 6. The upper edge of the wall 166 is notched at intervals to receive the stripping comb fingers 168, which like wise are notched to fit the wall 166 and which extend rearwardly between the lines of wires on the belt 144. The upper edges of the fingers 168 define a surface continuous with the surface defined by the ends of the wires of the upger run of the belt 144, the rear ends of the ngers 168 being beveled downwardly to engage the under surface of a blank carried y the wires. About half of the fingers 168 extend forwardly as well as rearwardly, the forward portions 170 of these fingers constituting/a holder from which the conditioned blanks may readily be picked up by the operator. A rod 172 extends across the machine above the wall 166. its ends being mounted in the respective walls 6. The rod 17 2 passes through each of the fingers 168 and serves to hold the latter securely in position. A cover plate 174 extends across the walls 6 and together with the base plate 2 and the side walls 4, serves to housethe belt 144 and the brush 158 and its associated parts, having an openin at its forward end large enough to permlt delivery of'the blanks upon the fingers 168.

The pricking roll 10 and the belt 144 are driven by a pulley 176 (Fig. 1) bracketed upon the rear wall 5. A shaft 178 operatively connected to the shaft of the pulley 176 extends through the rear wall 5 and may be connected by a clutch 180 (Fig. 3) to a forwardly extended shaft 182. The clutch 180 comprises two engaging members, one fixed upon the shaft 17 8 and the other slidably keyed-upon the shaft 182, and may be engaged or disengaged by means of a yoke seated in a groove in the keyed member, the yoke being shifted by a knob 184 (Fig. 3) which extends out through a slot 186 in one of the side walls 4. The reservoir 33 is offset to accommodate the shafts 178 and 182 and the clutch mechanism. The forward end of the shaft 182 carries a beveled pinion 188 which engages a beveled gear 190 secured to the shaft 8 adjacent one end thereof. The opposite end of the shaft 8 carries a gear 192 which drives a gear 194 journalled upon a stub shaft mounted in one of the walls 4; the gear 194 drives a gear 196 similarly journalled; and the gear 196 drives a pinion 198 secured upon one end of the shaft 136, whereby the belt 144 is driven.

It is desirable to provide means whereb the operator may turn the roll 10 directly. One end (not shown), therefore, of the shaft 8 is formed to receive the socket of a turning crank. It is also desirable to provide means for enabling the operator to advance the belt 144 directly, in cases where the abovedescribed gearing ma not be employed. To this end a shaft 200 Figs. 1 and 2) is journalled in one of the walls 6. The outer ends I of the shaft 200 carry hand wheels 202. On the shaft 200 are mounted sprocket wheels 204. On the shaft 136 are mounted sprocket wheels 206 smaller in diameter than the wheels 204, and chains 208 run respectively 1 over the two-sets of sprocket wheels,-where by the turning of the hand wheels 202 will drive the belt 144 at a relatively rapid rate.

The gear 192 is mounted on the end of the shaft 8 with a view to ready removal and 1 replacement. In cases where an intermittent feed of the belt 144 for each blank presented to the machine is desired, the gear 192 is removed from the shaft 8, and a ar 210 (Fi 4) is mounted upon a stub sha 212 extending from the side walls 4. A ear 214 is normally secured'upon an end 0 the roll shaft 62; and when a blank is fed between the -pr1cker roll and the roll 64, the blank causes the latter to rotate, this rotation being transmitted from the gear 214, through the gear 210 to the gear 194, and thence through the gears 196 and 198 to the roll 138. The belt 144 will thus be advanced during the feeding of each blank between the rolls 10 and 64, and will at other times be at rest, except when the operator turns the hand wheels 202.

In operation, a blank B is fed down the chute 120 between the pressure roll 64 and the pricker roll 10. The pressure of the roll 64 under the influence of the springs 66 will ordinarily be suflicient to impale the blank B upon the teeth or pointed rojections of the roll 10. In the case of a sti heavy blank which might not readily bend to the curvature of the roll10, the lower pressure roll 90 bends the blank against the roll 10 and impales it thereupon. The guide plate 112 insures that the advancing end of the blank B, if not already impaled upon the roll 10, will pass between the lower roll 90 and the roll 10. The teeth of the roll 10 not only penetrate the surface of the blank B to increase its porosity, but also crack the stiffening material with which the blank is impregnated and break up the surface layer, further to increase its porosity. It is evident that the blank is thus rendered more absorbable to the conditioning liquid. The teeth of the spacer members of the roll 10 serve to take up the liquid in the pan 17, the liquid filling the spaces between the pricking member and between the teeth of the spacing members, and adhering by capillary attraction. The teeth of the spacer members, being pointed in the direction of rotation of the roll 10, in some measure serve as buckets to facilitate the taking up of liquid. As the blank is impaled upon the roll 10, the liquid carried by the latter is simultaneously applied to and spreads over the adjacent surface of the b ank, entering the, cracks caused by the impaling teeth. as the blank is dipped beneath the surface of the liquid, owing to the rotation of the roll 10, the outer surface of the blank is exposed to the liquid and a fresh su ply of the liquid enters the grooves of the i0 1. As the blank asses the plate 130, all sur lus or free liquigl adherin to its outer sur ace is wiped off by the plate 130. As the blank is stripped from t e roll 10 by the comb fingers 126, the liquidcarried up by the grooves of the roll 10 and also the liquid adherin to the inner surface of the blank fills up t e holes formed in the blank by the rforating teeth of the roll 10. The blank t en falls upon the upper run of the belt 144, being supported upon the ends of the wiresxpro ecting therefrom, and is carried beneath t e brush 158, the bristles 162 of which wipe off all surplus or free liquid adhering to the upper surface of the blank.

The raised wall 134 of the pan 17 supports the trailing end of the blanks, and when intermittent feed is em loyed, serves to prevent the trailing en from dipping down into the liquid in the pan 17 in case the blank is halted 1n a osition where this might be possible. The lank is then advanced y the. upper run of the belt 144 to the fingers 168 its leading edge resting upon the forward extensions 170 in a position to be grasped readily by the o erator. The fact t at the feed chute 120 s opes rearwardl enables it to receive work pieces presente to it by a rearward movement of the operators hand. The work pieces after treatment are returned to the operator, who stands in front of the machine, b the forward movement of the belt 144. e operator may thus feed the untreated work ieces and receive the treated work pieces wit out changingl his position.

The points of the pricker ro 10 enter into non-slipping engagement with the work piece, and, inasmuch as the total area which they engage is relativel small compared to the total area of one si e of the work piece, a maximum extent of the surface of the work piece is presented to the conditioning liquid 1n the pan 17. The upstanding wires of the conveyor belt 144 likewise en age a relatively small portion of the tota area of one side of the work piece, and thus enable a maximum extent of the area of the work piece to be subjected to the action of the vapor within the housing. .These upstanding wires also,'by reason of the fact that they engage a relatively small total area of the work piece, present a minimum of supporting surface to the stic softened work piece, thereby reducing a hesion to a minimum. Because of their inclination in the direction of travel, and their stiffness resulting from their relative shortness, and also their relatively small total area of contact, these wires hold the work piece against slipping as the latter passes under the bristles 162.

It will be noted that the interior of the housing is substantially enclosed from the atmosphere, the openings provided for the entrance and emergence of the blank B, that is, the opening between the chute and the wall 52 and the opening between the forward end of the cover plate 174 and the upper edge of the front wall 166, being relatively small. Evaporation of the liquid within the vessel 18 is thus retarded, and, inasmuch as the escape of inflammable vapor into the atmosphere is prevented, the fire hazard 1S greatly diminished. Moreover, the space within the housing is saturated with the Vapor of the liquid, and when operating the machine intermittently, the blank may be allowed to mull upon the belt 144 as long as may be desired without danger of drying.

When operating the machine with continuous feed, the blanks B may be fed as rapidly as desired. They are not ordinarily,

however, fed more than one at a time. A plurality of blanks is shown in Fig. 2 to illustrate the successive positions of a smgle blank in passing through the machine, rather than a plurality of blanks.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means constructed and arranged to increase the porosity of a work piece, and means for subjecting the work piece, at a locality of the work piece which is being acted upon by said porosity-increasing means, to the influence of a conditioning medium.

2. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means constructed and arranged by progressive engagement with a work piece to render the work piece more absorbent, and means for subjecting the work piece, at a locality of the work piece which is being acted upon by said absorbent rendering means, to the influence of an absorbable conditi'oning medium.

3. A conditioning machine having, in combination, driven means constructed and arranged to render more absorbent a work piece and to impart to the work piece a feeding movement, and means for subjecting the work piece, at a locality of the work piece which is in feeding engagement with said driven means, to the influence of an absorbable conditioning medium.

4. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a receptacle for a softening medium, and driven means constructed and arranged to increase the porosity of a work piece and to pass the work piece through the softening medium in said receptacle.

5. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a receptacle for a softening medium, and driven means constructed and arranged to increase the porosity of a work piece, and to pass the work piece through the softening medium in said receptacle, said driven means being positioned to engage the work piece at a locality of the work piece which is within said receptacle.

6. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means operable by penetration to increase the porosity of a blank which has been impregnated with a stiifen'ing agent, and means for subjecting the blank, at a locality of the blank which is engaged by said porosity-increasing means, to the action of a conditioning medium.

7. A machine for conditioning a blank impregnated with a stiffening agent having, in combination, means for pricking and feeding the blank, and means for subjecting the blank at a locality of the blank which is engaged by said pricking and feeding means, to the action of a softening medium.

8. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, and means for penetrating a blank which has been impregnated with a stifiening agent, thereby to increase the porosity of the blank, said penetrating means being constructed and arranged to feed the blank through the conditioning liquid in said receptacle.

9. A conditioning machine having, in combination. a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, and means for increasing the porosity of the interior of a blank which has been impregnated with a stiffening agent, said porosity-increasing means being constructed and arranged to pass the blank through the liquid in said receptacle.

10. A conditioning machine having, in

combination, liquid, a roll uid in said projections adapted to impale a blank, and means for impaling a blank upon the projections of said roll, whereupon rotation of lsaiddroll will pass the blank through said iqui 11. A conditioning machine having, in

a receptacle for a conditioning partially immersed in the liqcombination, a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, a roll partially immersed in said liquid and having pointed projections adapted to impale a blank, means for impaling a receptacle and having pointed blank upon the projections of said roll, and

means for rotating said roll to pass the 1mpaled blank through said liquid.

12. A combination, a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, a roll partially immersed in the liquid in said receptacle and having pointed proections. means for impaling a blank upon the projections of said roll, whereupon rotation of said roll will pass the blank through said liquid, and paled blank from said roll.

conditioning machine having, in

means for stripping the ima 13. A machine for conditioning a blank impregnated with a stiffening agent having,

in combination, a carrier having rojections u n its surface, a roll positioned for pressing a blank to be treated a ainst said carrier, thereby to crack the sti ening agent with which said roll is impregnated, and resilient means for urging said roll against a blank to press the blank against said carrier.

14. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a member constructed and arranged to impale a blank and to subject the blank to the action of a conditioning medium, a conveyor for the blank and means !5 for transferring the impaled blank from said member to said conveyor.

15. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a member constructed and arranged to impale a blank and to subject A 0 the blank to the action of a softening liquid,

a conveyor for the blank, means for transferrin the impaled blank from said member to sai conve or, and means for removing surplus liqui from the blank before the blank is completely transferred to said conveyor.

.16. A conditionin machine having, in combination, means or holding a blank by engagement with one face thereof and for dipping the blank into and out of a softening liquid, and means for wiping surplus liqui from the opposite face of the blank while the blank is held by said dipping means.

17. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means or dipping a blank of sheet material into and out of a softening liquid, means for stripping the blank from said dipping means, means engageable with one surface of the blank to press the blank against said dipping means and constructed and arranged to wipe surplus liquid from said surface of the blank, and means for wiping surpxlus liquid from the other surface of the blan 18. A conditionin machine having, in combination, a pan or holding a softening liquid, means for'dipping a blank into and out of said liquid, and means resiliently mounted upon said pan and constructed and 50 arranged to engage the blank as the blank emer es from the liquid to wipe surplus liqui from said blank and to return the surplus liquid to said pan.

19. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a pair of rolls between which a blank may be presented by an operator, a receptacle for liquid into which one of the rolls dips, and means for causing the blank to be carried by said last-named roll first in a direction from the operator, then through the liquid and then toward the operator and for delivering the blank back to the operator.

20. In a conditioning machine, the com- 'bination of a roll having pointed projections arranged in circles around the roll with depressedspaces between said circles and a comb havlng fingers extending into the depressed spaces for stripping ofl blanks impaled upon said'projectlons.

21. In a conditioning machine, a dipping pan, a reservoir for a volatile inflammable softening liquid, a barometric feed device between said reservoir and said pan for supplying liquid from said reservoir to said pan at a constant level, and means spaced from said reservoir and interposed between said pan and said feed device for preventin the passage of a flame from vapor above sai pan to the vapor around said feed device.

22. In a conditioning machine, a dip ing pan, a reservoir, a fire wall interpose between and spaced from said pan and said reservoir, and means for providing for the passage of a softening liquid between said reservoir and said pan.

23. In a conditionin machine, a movabllly; mounted pan, means or carrying a bla into and out of a li uid within said pan, means carried by sai an for wiplin surplus liquid from the lank as t e atter emerges from the liquid within the pan, and a spring for urging said wiping means against t e blank on said carrying means, said 3 ring being constructed and arranged for a just- .ment of its tension by a movement: of said pan.

24. In a machine for softening a shoe stifiener, a receptacle for a conditionin liquid and a feed member positioned in sai receptacle and comprising a roll composed of a set of circular saw blades of relatively greater diameter for engaging the stiffener and a set of circular saw blades of relatively less diameter, each blade of less diameter being disposed between two blades of greater diameter and serving to the extent of its thickness to space the two blades of greater diameter from each other.

25. In a machine for softening a shoe stiflener, a feed member and means for pressing the shoe stiffener against said feed member, said feed member comprising a laminated roll having a plurality of units disposed longitudinally upon a common axis, each unit 115 comprising a plurality of individual members disposed longitudinally upon the common roll axis and being clamped together axially of the roll, and means for locking said units against relative torsional slip.

26. A conditioning machine comprisin a container for a conditioning medium and a plurality of members cooperating to increase the porosity of an article to be treated, one of said members bein constructed and ar- 125 ranged to carry the artlcle through conditioning medium in said container.

27. A conditioning machine comprisin a receptacle for a conditioning fluid an a member having a surface adapted upon pres- 130 receptacle.

sure of a blank against said surface to increase the porosityof the blank, said member beingconstructedand arran ed to pass the blank through conditioning uid in said 28. A conditioning machine comprising a receptacle for a conditioning liquid and a member having pointed projections for 1mpaling a blank to increase the rosity of theblank and also to secure the b ank upon said member, said member being constructed and arranged to the impaled blank through liquid in said receptacle.

29. A conditioning machine having, 1n

combination, a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, a roll partially immersed in the liquid in said receptacle, means on said roll for holding a blank upon the roll against the action of gravity as the roll is rotated to carry I 20 the blank through the liquid. and stationar means for stripping the blank from the rol 30. A conditioning machine having, 1n combination, a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, a roll partially immersed in liquid in said receptacle, said roll having a plurality of grooves in its periphery, means on said roll for holding a blank to carry the blank through the liquid as the roll is rotated, and a plurality of fingers extending respectively into said grooves to strip the blank from the roll.

31. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a roll having projections upon its surface, and a plurality of rolls constructed and arranged to press a blank which has been impregnated with a stiflening agent against the first-mentioned roll to render the blank more porous and to curve the blank against the first-mentioned roll.

32. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means for dipping a blank of sheet material into and out of a softening liquid, means for stripping the blank from said dipping means, means for wiping surplus liquid from one surface of the blank.

.from said dipping means.

I 33. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, a driven roll partially immersed in the liquid in said receptacle, said roll having a plurality of grooves in its periphery, means for holding a work piece upon said roll whereby said roll in its rotation carries the work piece through the liquid in said receptacle, and a plurality of fingers extending respectively into said grooves at a position above the level of the liquid in said receptacle to strip the work piece from said-roll.

34. A conditioning machine comprising a driven feed roll having pointed projections upon its periphery, means constructed and arranged to impale a work piece upon the proj ections of said feed roll at a rearwardly movmg portion of said feed roll, means for subditiomng medium while the work piece is being fed by said feed roll, and means for stripping the work piece from said feed roll at a position wherein the portion of said feed roll upon which the work is moving forwardly...

35. A conditioning machine comprising a pair of rolls constructed and arranged to receive between them a work piece, one of said rolls' being driven to feed the work piece, means for subjecting the work piece to the action of a conditioning medium while the work piece is being fed by said driven roll and means for delivering the conditioned work iece at a position upon the same side of the it'e of said rolls as that from which the work piece was received by said rolls.

36. A conditioning machine comprising a driven feed roll having pointed projections upon its periphery, a resser roll constructed and arranged to impa e by pressure upon the projections of said feed roll a work piece which is presented to the bite of said rolls, means for subjecting the work piece to the acpiece isvbeing fed by said'feed roll, and means for stripping the work piece from said feed roll at a position upon the same side of the bite of said rolls as that from which the work piece was presented.

37 A conditioning machine comprising a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, a driven feed roll partially immersed in the conditioning liquid in said receptacle and having pointed projections upon its periphery, "a presser roll constructed and arranged to impale by pressure upon the projections of said feed roll a work piece which is presented to the bite of said rolls whereupon the work piece is carried by said feed roll through the conditioning liquid in said receptacle, and means for stripping the work piece from said feed roll at a position upon the same side of' the bite'of said rolls as that from which the work piece was presented.

38. A conditioning-machine comprising a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, a driven feed roll partially immersed in the conditioning liquid in said receptacle and having pointed projections on its periphery, a presser roll constructed and arranged to impale by pressure upon the projections of said roll a work piece which is presented to the bite of said rolls, the axis of said presser roll being disposed upwardly and rearwardly of the axis of said feed roll and said feed roll being driven in a direction to carry the work piece first downwardly and rearwardly, then forwardly through the liquid in said rece tacle, and then upwardly out of the liquid, means for stripping the work piece from said ecting the work piece to the action of a conpiece has been impaled feed roll after the work piece emerges from the liquid.

39. A conditioning machine having, m combination, a rece tacle for a conditioning liquid, and means or feeding a work piece, and feeding means having a p urality 0 projections adapted to enter into non-sli ping engagement over a relatively small tota area with opposite sides of the work piece, said feeding means being also constructed and arran ed to as the work piece into and out I said receptacle.

41. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a feed member provided with a plurality of points constructed and arranged to penetrate one side of a work piece, means for subjecting the work piece to the action of a conditioning medium while the work piece is being advanced by said feed member, another feed member having a plurality of projections constructed and arranged to enter into non-slipping engagement with the opposite side of the work piece, and means for transferrin the work piece from the first-mentioned eed member to the second-mentioned feed member.

42. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means for feeding a work piece, said feeding means being constructed and arranged successively to engage opposite sides of the work piece, means for'subjecting both sides of the work piece to the action of a conditioning liquid as the work piece is being advanced by said feeding means, and means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid successively from the sides of the work piece which are not engaged by said feeding means, said feeding means being also constructed and arranged non-yieldingly to hold the work piece against said wiplng means.

43. A conditioning machine having in combination, means for feeding a work piece, said feeding means being constructed and arran ed successively to engage opposite sides of t e work piece, means for subjecting both sides of the work piece to the action of a conditioning liquid as the work piece is being advanced by said feedin means, and means for wiping surplus con itioning liquid successively from the sides of the work piece which are not engaged by said feeding means, said wiping means being constructed and ar ranged to press the work piece against the feeding means.

44. A conditioning machine having, in

combination, means for feeding a work piece, said feedin means being provided with a plurality o projections en ageable successively with o osite sides 0 the work piece, means for su ecting both sides of the work piece to the action 0 a conditioning liquid as the work piece is being advanced by said feeding means, and means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid successively from the sides of the work piece which are not engaged by said feeding means while the work piece is bein advanced by said feeding means.

45. conditioning machine having, in combination, means for feeding a work plece, said feedin means being provided with a plurality o projections engageable successively with op osite sides of the work piece, means for sub ecting both sides of the work piece to the action of a conditioning liquid as the work piece is being advanced by said feeding means, means for wiping surplus conditioning hquid successively from the sides of the work piece which are not engaged by said feeding means while the work piece is being advanced by said feeding means, and resilient means acting upon said wipin means to cause the latter to press the worl r piece against said feeding means.

46. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means for subjecting both sides of a work iece to the action of a conditioning liquid an for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from one side of the work piece, a driven feed member, means for transferring the work piece to said driven feed member with the wi ed side of the work piece in engagement with said driven feed member, and

means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from the unwiped side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by said driven feed member.

47. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means for subjecting both sides of a work piece to the action of a conditioning liquid and for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from one side of the work piece, a driven feed belt having a plurality of upstanding wires to support the work piece, means for transferring the work piece to said driven feed belt with the wiped side of the work piece supported by the tops of said upstanding wires, and means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from the unwiped side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by said driven feed belt.

48. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means for subjecting work pieces to the action of a conditioning liquid,

said wlpmg means, said feeding means being constructed and arranged to engage one side of each work piece while presenting the opposite side to one of said wiping means, and to engage the opposite side of the work piece while presenting the first-mentioned side of the work piece to the'other of said wiping. means.

-19. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means for feeding a plurality of discontinuous work pieces by engagement first with one side of a work piece and then with the opposite side of the work piece, means for subjecting each work piece to the action of a conditioning liquid while the first-mentioned side of the work piece is engaged by said feeding means, and means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from each side of the work piece while the respective opposite side is engaged by said feeding means.

I 50. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, means for feeding a work piece by engagement with one side thereof into and out of the conditioning liquid in said receptacle, means for thereafter feeding the work piece by engagement with the opposite side thereof, and means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from each side of the work piece while the respective opposite side is engaged in turn by said feeding means.

51. A conditioning machine :having, in combination, a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, means engageable with one side of awork piece for feeding the work piece through the liquid in said receptacle, a wiper engageable with the. opposite side of the work piece for wiping surplus liquid from the work piece as the work piece is advanced by said feeding means, means engageable with said opposite side of the work piece for thereafter feeding the work piece, and a wiper engageable with the first-mentionedside of the work piecetto wipe surplus liquid from the work piece as the work piece is advanced by the second-mentioned feeding means.

52. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a receptacle for a conditioning liquid, a driven feed member constructed and arranged to engage one side of a work piece and to pass the work piece into and out of the conditioning liquid in the receptacle, a member constructed and arranged to wipe surplus conditioning liquid from the opposite side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by said feed member, means for stripping the work p ece from said feed member, another drivenfeed member constructed and arranged to receive the work piece as the work piece is stripped from the first-mentioned feed member and to advance the work piece by engagement with said opposite side of the Work piece, and a memben constructedg and arranged to wipe surplus conditionilig liquid from the first-mentioned side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by the second-mentioned feed member.

53. A conditioning machine having, in combination, a driven feed member provided with a plurality of points for engagement with one side of a work piece, means for subjecting both sides of the work piece to the action of a conditioning liquid and for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from the opposite side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by said driven feed member, meansfor stripping the work piece from said feed member, another driven feed member constructed and arranged to receive the work piece as the work piece is stripped from the first-mentioned feed member and to advance the work piece by engagement with said opposite side of the work piece, and a member constructed and arranged to wipe surplus conditioning liquid from the firstlnentioned side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by the secondmentioned feed member.

54. A conditioning machine having, in combination, adriven feed member provided with a plurality of points arranged in rows for engagement with one side of a work piece, means for subjecting both sidesNafi the work piece to the action of a conditioning liquid and for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from the opposite side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by said driven feed member, a plurality of fingers extending into the spaces respectively between the rows of pOl11 t QI-1 Slll(l driven feed member for stripping'the work piece from said feed member, another driven feed member constructed and arranged to engage said opposite side of the wor: piece as the work piece is stripped from the first-men-.

tioned feed member, and a member constructed and arranged to wipe surplus conditioning liquid from the first-mentioned side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by the second-mentioned "feed member.

55. A conditioning machine hav ng, in combination, a driven feed member provided with a plurality of points for engagement with one side of a work piece, means for subjecting both sides of the Work piece to the action of a conditioning liquid and for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from th opposite side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by said driven feed member, another driven feed member having a plurality of projections arranged inn rows pos'tioned :or engagement with said opposite sideof thework piece, means for transferring tl'i e work piece from the firstmentioned feed member to the second-mentioned feed member, means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from the first-mentioned s de. of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by the second-mentioned feed member, and a plurality of fingers extending into the spaces respectively between the rows of projections of the second-mentioned feed member for stripping the work piece from the second-mentioned feed member.

56. A conditioning machine having,. in combination, means for subjecting both sides of a work piece to the action of a conditioning liquid and for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from one side of the work piece, a driven feed member, means for transferring the work piece to said driven feed member with the wiped side of the work piece in engagement with said driven feed member, means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from the unwiped side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by said driven feed member, and a housing for said driven feed member adapted to contain the vapor of the conditioning liquid whereby the work piece on said feed member is subjected to the action of said vapor.

57. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means for subjecting both sides of a work piece to the action of a condition ing liquid and for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from one side of the work piece, a feed member, means for transferring the work piece to said feed member with the wiped side of the work piece in engagement with said feed member, means for wipmg surplus conditioning liquid from the unwiped side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by said feed member, a housing for said feed member adapted to contain the vapor of the conditioning liquid whereby the work piece as it is advanced by said feed member is subjected to the action of said vapor, and means for continuously driving said feed member.

58. A conditioning machine having, in combination, means for feeding a work piece, means for subjecting both sides of the work piece to the action of a conditioning medium during the feeding of the work piece by said feeding means, means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from one side of the work piece, a feed member, means for transferring the work iece to said feed member with the wiped si e of the work piece in engagement with said feed member, means for wiping surplus conditioning liquid from the unwiped side of the work piece while the work piece is being advanced by said feed member, a housing for said feed member adapted to contain the vapor of the conditioning liquid, and driving means for said feed member adapted to be actuated by another work piece as said other work piece is fed by said feeding means and to be idle when another work piece is not being fed by said feeding means, thereby enablin said feed member to hold the first-mentioned work piece at rest in said chamber during the interval betweenthe feeding of successive work pieces by said feeding means, during which interval the first-mentioned work piece is subject to the action of the vapor within said chamber.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

AUGUST R. SCHOENKY. 

